Free NCAA Hoops Pick: Gaels vs Wildcats CBB Odds
Looking for Saint Mary’s Gaels vs. Villanova Wildcats NCAA basketball free tournament picks & CBB odds? CBB betting sees the Gaels taking on the Wildcats on Thursday, March 21, 2019 at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all college basketball matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily NCAA tournament basketball predictions like this Gaels Wildcats March Madness matchup.
(22-11) Saint Mary’s Gaels vs. Villanova Wildcats (25-9)
March Madness: South Region Round 1
Date: Thursday, March 21, 2019
Time: 7:20 PM ET
Venue: XL Center, Hartford, CT.
CBB Moneyline Odds: OFF
CBB Betting Odds: Villanova -6
CBB Betting Total: 130.5
Live CBB Odds
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Saint Mary’s wasn’t supposed to be here but it knocked off Gonzaga in the final game of the West Coast Conference Tournament to earn the automatic bid.
Villanova enters as the defending champion and overachieved to earn the 6-seed. The ‘Cats don’t have championship aspirations but do have the DNA of a title contender. They hope that can take them to the second weekend.
Saint Mary’s Gaels
Randy Bennett has had a lot of great teams out at Saint Mary’s since he took over as the Head Coach in 2001 but he’s been snubbed more than once. This year, the Gaels are where they, perhaps, don’t belong.
Bennett’s most successful team, which is to say the program’s most successful team beat Villanova in the lone Sweet Sixteen run in school history in 2010.
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This season, Saint Mary’s wasn’t great on defense, as it has been in the past. It also doesn’t boast an impressive assist-to-turnover ratio actually turns it over more than it assists.
But Jordan Ford averages over 21 points per game and he, Malik Fitts, and Tanner Krebs all shoot over 40 percent from 3-point land on just about 13 attempts per game.
Villanova Wildcats
Villanova doesn’t usually play inside-out but it may throw it inside a little more than usual in this game against the perimeter-oriented Saint Mary’s.
The sophomore Jermaine Samuels emerged down the stretch as an inside option that wasn’t there when the season began. Otherwise, the ‘Cats will play to their strength, which mimics the Gaels’.
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Both teams can shoot the 3-ball but which backcourt will play better defense? This is where Villanova should have the advantage, both with the experience of Phil Booth and the added size of Eric Paschall.
CBB Betting Trends:
- Under is 24-8 in SMC last 32 neutral site games.
- Under is 7-3 in SMC last 10 vs. Big East.
- Under is 11-4 in VIL last 15 Thu. games.
- VIL are 43-18-1 ATS in their last 62 Thu. games.
Free Saint Mary’s Gaels vs. Villanova Wildcats NCAAB Prediction: Saint Mary’s plays ’em close enough.
This game just feels like a coin flip to me. Rather than call the upset, which I’m tempted to do, I’ll just take the six points.
4* Free CBB Betting Pick: Saint Mary’s +6
NCAAB Free Score Prediction: Saint Mary’s 67 – Villanova 70
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